Encyclopedia Yggdraversica

The Vale

“The Vale” refers to the westmost portion of the Nadra Desert, which is the mildest and most inhabitable part (though still very much a desert climate). It also occasionally refers to the single large city nestled in the foothills of the volcanic mountain range which forms the desert’s western border. The region is inhabited predominately by the Azer, the Zinyini, and the People of the Vale.

Far to the east (over 4000 miles away) is the sea. There are very high coastal mountains that trap the sea air, and very little of the moisture gets over and into the desert. During the War of Heaven and Hell 20 years ago, the demons blew a large hole in the mountain range, so a little more rain falls now than did in the past, though it also brings heavy mudslides in the mountain pass. Far out to sea is a great black island which was the birthplace of the Zinyini pantheon. It now serves as a prison-house for those whom the gods defeated at the beginning of the world, and it was where the gods buried their old king, Norebo, when he was slain during the War.

Between the mountains and the Vale is the great silver waste of the desert of Nadra, which is bigger than the Sahara. To the far north, the desert just gets colder, like the Gobi. To the far south there is the great swamp. It has no name but it is the realm of evil. Beyond the cliffs that guard the Vale there is a huge range of volcanic mountain and badlands. Even the People of the Vale do not go far west, though the Azer have.